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It's not glamorous, but being an intern has its perks

July 14, 2001

Being an intern is not always a glamorous job. Many times stories that have been funneled through the other in-boxes of the regular reporters’ huge and messy desks eventually land on your own small, wooden, rickety desk, which you are almost convinced is helping hold up the wall.

Sometimes the assignments you are given leave you wondering whether the staff secretly despises you and this is their subtle payback. While the regular reporters’ phones ring off the hook, yours rarely rings at all because nobody really knows who you are, nor do they want to talk to you.

In that same token, if my phone does ring, I feel a sense of apprehension before answering because if someone actually called through to me then I must have really screwed up. The first lawsuit threat you receive as an intern is always a bit startling. You hang up the phone wondering if you really did something wrong. Then the other reporters tell you congratulations on your first lawsuit threat, and relate tales of their own recent threats.

As I said, being an intern is not always glamorous. One assignment I had the pleasure of attacking this summer was standing in the lobby of City Market soliciting citizens’ opinion on Flag Day. Some of you might have seen me but it was a very unsuccessful effort, so I wasn’t there long. Maybe it was my opening line that deterred people: "Hi, may I have a moment of your time?" Most of you politely declined under the impression I was trying to sell you something. With one woman I managed to get in that I was from the Cortez Journal but she told me that she "was new to town" and didn’t know much about local issues. That’s understandable.

But it’s not all just filler stories and busy work that comes to an intern. I got the chance to talk to Zada Leonard, the brave woman who decided to give a kidney to a sick man. I hope my story conveyed a little of her courage, generosity and spirit. She had such a positive attitude that I could have spoken to her for days.

I had the chance to meet Judy Wolfe, a public-health nurse, who was just beaming from a recent award she received and had a great story to tell. That is probably what I’ve learned the most from this internship: Journalism isn’t all deadlines and hard cold facts — sometimes it’s getting to meet people and tell their stories.

Of course, there was my big issue for the length of my internship, which was problems at the Cortez Cemetery. I nearly cried hearing Mary Cook’s sad tale of Matchbox cars missing from her son’s grave. Regardless of who was to blame, it’s sad. The same day my original story ran, I remember hearing a call over the police scanner of a "possible assault" at the Cortez Cemetery and thinking, "They’re beating up the caretaker. . .what have I done?" However, it seems progress is being made at the cemetery now as the board and families reach a compromise. I don’t want to think that is because of my stories, but rather because of folks standing up against what they think is wrong.

I have gotten the chance to meet a great group of people from the newsroom down to the pressroom. Everyone has just been incredible to me. In fact, I don’t think I had to buy a beer all summer — that’s classy. My greatest affection is for the great people I’ve worked with in the newsroom. I can’t think of a more helpful and friendly group of people, who despite the demands that a newspaper presents always find time to share a laugh.

I’m proud to have been the last summer intern at the old office on Main Street. I’ve tried negotiating to take this small, rickety, wooden desk with me but it doesn’t look promising. Instead, I’ll take with me the fond memories I have of this paper and of this town. Plus, they need that desk, it’s holding up the wall. Thank you, Cortez, for your hospitality!

Kevin Denke will return to Western State College in Gunnison this fall.